22
October
2020
|
21:02 PM
America/New_York

7 Rheumatoid Arthritis-Friendly Hobbies

Everyday Health reports on activities with tips to make them easy on the joints for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), according to Joan Westreich, LSCW, social worker at HSS, and others.

Westreich noted you can modify your favorite activities. For example, instead of running, try walking. Or switch to yoga. It’s a great physical activity for people with RA, because it has a mindfulness component, she said.

“Keeping mentally active is good for everyone,” Westreich cited. Brain games and memory exercises can help keep your mind sharp. When your joints are swollen and painful, it can be hard to pick up the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle or hold a pencil to fill out the squares of a crossword puzzle. However there are options: You can download apps that allow you to play games on your smartphone or use your computer to play board and card games. If you play against other people online, you’re also staying engaged, and that’s important for your mental health as well, said Westreich.

For readers who have trouble holding a book when symptoms flare in the hand joints, Westreich recommended purchasing a book holder or downloading the audio version to listen to it from a smartphone.

Read the full article at Everydayhealth.com.